Ornamental transfers and indicia presenting heat activated decoratives are well known and are typically applied to cloth of all types. These decoratives, particularly heat activated decoratives, are used to provide numbers on sports jerseys, names on shirts and company logos on uniforms.
There are several types of heat activated decoratives. These have a heat activated adhesive layer which bonds to a cloth substrate. A second, upper layer can be formed of a variety of different materials including thermoplastics, thermosets, flock, and plastisols. In other applications, thread in the form of an embroidered letter can be the upper layer with a thermoplastic adhesive layer on the bottom. These are all applied to a substrate by heat, pressure and time sufficient to activate or melt the adhesive layer and permit penetration of the adhesive into the surface of a garment. Some decoratives are formed from thermosetting resins which can be cured as they are applied to the substrate.
There are many different types of transfers disclosed in the literature. For example, Liebe U.S. Pat. No. 3,660,212, discloses a heat seal formed of a polyvinyl chloride lower layer and a surface layer of a cross-linked polyvinyl chloride plastisol. The plastisol is highly pigmented and it acts as an ink.
Another decorative is disclosed in Mahn U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,387. This patent discloses a flocked decorative with a lower thermoplastic layer. Further, Mahn U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,904, discloses a heat activated removable ornamental heat seal which includes a lower thermoplastic layer and an upper continuous layer of a thermoset material. The upper layer is preferably a thermoset ink. This upper layer, as disclosed in this patent, is a continuous layer which stands between the heat source and the thermoplastic layer. A silicone coated sheet can be placed between the heat source and the thermoset layer.
These transfers and heat seals are applied to a variety of different types of substrates. For example, the substrate can be fabric formed from polyester, nylon, cotton, rayon and so on.
Sports jerseys, in particular, are frequently made from a mesh or foraminous fabric. These mesh fabrics have regularly spaced holes throughout the surface of the fabric to facilitate air flow. The holes can vary in size from a millimeter to 15 to 20 millimeters.
Since these are sports jerseys, it is desirable to have a number attached to the sports jersey. In the past, when a heat activated transfer was applied to these jerseys, the holes were typically covered over with the transfer. This is aesthetically unappealing and further blocks air flow through the jersey.
These jerseys can be screen printed but this is extremely limiting. It is totally unsuitable for applying different transfers to personalize a jersey, i.e., with a name or number.